There are four meetings set to take place on Thursday including at Muswellbrook where a seven-race card is scheduled.
De Luca @ 5.50
The Marg Factor @ 4.00
De Grandhomme @ 2.60
The finale at Muswellbrook is a 1000m Benchmark 58 handicap expected to take place on a good 4 track.
Invasive Dreams is expected to jump as favourite for the race, having ended her last prep with a run of three consecutive placed efforts.
The second of those saw her beaten just under two-and-a-half-lengths when contesting a Benchmark 68 handicap at Newcastle in July.
This filly went on to place third over 1500m at this venue next time when ridden by her jockey here Lauren Van Tijn.
All three of those placed efforts came on wet tracks and, while the filly has won on a sound surface in the past, she is yet to win first up.
With the above in mind she looks opposable debuting for a new trainer, with preference for DE LUCA, who is another making her first start for a new handler.
Now in the care of Brett Cavanough, the four-year-old has won once and placed twice from three starts this prep.
The victory came when coming home half-a-length clear of her rivals, when contesting a 1000m maiden held on a soft 6 track at Echuca on her return to action in October.
De Luca went on to lose out by half-a-length when tackling a similar race to this when returning to Echuca the following month.
That second Echuca effort came on a good 3 track and she was given a break following a third of four over 900m in a Class 1 handicap at Scone in November.
The tongue tie worn for all three starts so far this season is left off here and, jumping from an inside barrier, she is taken to provide apprentice Nick Palmer with his second career win.
The seventh race on Yarra Valley’s eight-race program is a 1500m Benchmark 58 handicap event.
A soft 5 track is expected for the race, with Shooter Mcgavin set to feature prominently in the betting for Paul & Tracey Templeton.
The four-year-old has been in good form this prep, including when narrowly beaten over 1200m in a Benchmark 58 handicap at Bairnsdale three starts back.
This gelding broke through for his second career win, when triumphing by two-and-a-half-lengths in a Restricted 58 handicap over 1412m at Werribee last month.
However, Jason Maskiell’s mount is unproven on a wet surface and, having raced from the front in two of his last three starts, a wide barrier is far from ideal.
THE MARG FACTOR is the pick in this contest for the Peter Gelagotis stable.
This seven-year-old has placed three times this prep, including twice at metro level when competing at Sandown in August.
The mare arrives here on the back of a good second in a 1400m Restricted 64 handicap at Cranbourne last month when racing on a good 3 surface.
Softer going expected here is no issue, with the first of the previously mentioned Sandown efforts having come on a soft 5 track when racing in a Benchmark 70 handicap.
Regular rider Tianni Chapman again takes two kilograms off the daughter of Hvasstan’s back and, jumping from two off the rail, the pair look capable of registering a win.
In Western Australia they are set to race at Pinjarra with the fifth race of the day a 1200m Class 1 handicap.
DE GRANDHOMME takes the eye here for the Adam Durrant stable, having shown up well in two starts to date.
The first of those saw the gelding beaten just over one-and-a-half-lengths in a 1000m event at this venue last month.
De Grandhomme raced on a good 4 track on that occasion and duly broke through to record his first victory when encountering similar conditions at Bunbury nine days later.
The three-year-old raced prominently at Bunbury having been ridden from off the pace on debut and stepping up to 1200m he looks capable of completing a double.